ATLANTA – Parents who are behind on child support payments in Georgia have an opportunity to get back on track without consequence the week of May 19-23.

The Georgia Division of Child Support Services is offering non-custodial parents the opportunity to support their children’s medical and financial needs through a special initiative, statewide “Settlement Week.”

Statewide “Settlement Week” gives parents with court-ordered child support obligations the chance to pay arrears amounts in full or begin paying an amount mandated by the court to avoid additional enforcement action.

Approximately 9,000 parents chosen for the initiative will be notified of the opportunity by mail on May 19.

The selected parents have until May 23 to visit their local Division of Child Support Services office and make a payment, sign a written payment agreement or connect with an outreach program that helps non-custodial parents overcome barriers to supporting their children.

All parents should bring a valid driver’s license or other government-issued picture ID, social security card, money orders or cashier’s checks, proof of income and copies of any court orders that involve their children to their local DCSS offices with them.

“Settlement Week” does not alleviate any parent from any level of support. The Division of Child Support Services does not have the legal authority to forgive or dismiss a parent’s arrears.

“Our objective is to ensure that families in Georgia that are in need of child support services receive them,” said Tanguler Gray-Johnson, director of Georgia’s Division of Child Support Services. "Settlement Week is one of many initiatives we offer parents to assist them in keeping current with their financial obligations. We strongly encourage all non-custodial parents that have been notified to take full advantage of this opportunity to work with the DCSS’ program in support of Georgia's families and children.”

If a chosen parent does not respond, the Division of Child Support Services will alert the Department of Driver Services to move forward with suspension of their driver's licenses.

The Georgia Division of Child Support Services (DCSS) collects child support on behalf of 521,367 children in the state. DCSS enhances the well-being of children by assuring that assistance in obtaining support, including financial and medical, is available to children through locating parents, establishing paternity, establishing support obligations, and monitoring, enforcing and reviewing support obligations. The program works to promote parent accountability and self-sufficiency while reducing the public’s responsibility for providing financial and medical support to children.